Method of adding alloys to metals



May 6, 1952 H. A. REECE METHOD OF ADDING ALLOYS TO METALS Filed Oct. 5, 1949 INVENTOR. HERBERT A. REEcE AT T O QNEY Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I METHOD OF ADDING ALLOYS TO METALS Herbert A. Reece, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application October 5, 1949, Serial No. 119,659

Claims. 1

This invention relates, as indicated, to methods of adding alloys or alloying constituents to molten metals.

It has heretofore been more or less standard practice, in adding alloys or alloying constitucuts to molten metals, to add the alloy or alloying constituent either in the form of a crushed material to the ladle containing the molten metal or to the spout through which the molten metal flows, or in the form of an atomized material by vibrating 0r rotor machine to the ladle or spout.

The aforesaid methods are characterized by a number of disadvantages or deficiencies, among Which the following may be enumerated:

1. They involve crushing of the alloys or alloying ingredients, which is somewhat costly.

2. The crushed or atomized materials may be-- come oxidized in the presence of oxygen, thereby introducing undesirable contaminants into the molten metal.

3. The oxides thus formed contaminate the. ladle sides and spout.

4. The spout, in some cases, needs to be mechasized, in order to minimize the danger of oxida- 5. Light volatile alloys, such, for example, as those of magnesium and calcium, tend to float on the molten metal, become oxidized and form slag coatings which prevent incorporation of the alloys in the molten metal.

I have discovered, as the result of considerable research, that all or many of the aforesaid disadvantages and deficiencies can be obviated or minimized by adding the alloys or alloying constituents to the molten metal in the form of a rod. or stick.

The addition of the alloy in such form may be accomplished in various ways, several of which are illustrated more or less dia rammatically in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

In Fig. 1, the alloy, in the form of a rod is held in the ladle 2, by means of a clamp 3, which rests on the cover 4 of the ladle. The upper end of; the. rod .extends through a small opening in such a mann r as to avoid impingement of the stream of metal against the rod. As the molten metal rises in the ladle, it melts the rod I pror gressively from the lower end upwardly. The

percentage or amount of alloy thus incorporated in the molten metal can be controlled by the thickness of the rod.

By introducing the alloy into the molten metal in the aforesaid form and manner, the alloy is virtually completely protected from oxidation. the formation of slag coverings is largely avoided, uniformity of absorption of the alloy in the molten metal is insured, a uniform dissolution rate is obtained (the alloy dissolving in a ratio directly proportional to the. rate at which the ladle is filled), and contact 'of the alloy'with the total amount of metal in the'ladle is assured. The method, moreover, is more economi al from every standpoint than'existing methods, since the alloys can be cast or extruded economically in rod or stick form, and do not require crushing or comminuting in any way. Furthermore, the alloy, being in the form of a solid rod, is less likely tobe-oxidized, even if exposed, than if in crushed or pulverized form.

If desired, the alloy rod. as shown in Fig; 1, may be immersed in the molten metal in the ladle after the ladle has been filled, with substantially the same results and advantages.

In Fig. 2, the ladle l is not provided with a cover, but instead, the alloy rod 8 is clamped at its upper end in a clamp 9, which is supported by a handle 16, which rests on the'upper edge of a ladle. The molten metal flows into the ladle from the trough l l and the rod is melted by such metal as the latter fills the ladle, as in Fig. 1. Due to the absence of a cover on the ladle, the possibilities of oxidation of the alloy rod and of formation of a slag coating are sli htly greater than in Fig. 1, but are nevertheless not substantial.

In Fig. 3, the arrangement is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but in this case, the upper end of the alloy rod l2 has a slight taper and is filotionally supported in an opening in the cover [3 of the ladle, thereby dispensing with the need for rod-supporting clamps.

In Fig. 4, an arrangement-similar to that shown in Fig. l is employed, but in this case, rods l4 and I5 of different alloys are shown, which rods are simultaneously melted by the rising molten metal. The rods may be of different diameters, thereby controlling the relative proportions of alloying constituents in the final metal. The ladle, in this case, is shown as having a refractory lining 16. As an alternative to this, the weight per linear inch of the respective rods may be varied in proportion to the weight or molten metal poured into the ladle.

In cases where the alloy rod is made of a light, volatile alloy, which is readily oxidizable at high temperatures, the red, as shown in Fig. 5, may be provided with a protective coating or plating ll of a metal, such, for example, as chromium or other heat-resistant metal. As an alternative to such coating, the alloy, when cast, may be poured into a tube or pipe of iron or steel or the like, or may be poured into a non-metallic conduit, as for instance, a graphite cylinder, in either of which cases, the alloy will melt and flow downwardly into the ladle metal as the ladle fills. As a further modification of this procedure, the tube or cylinder into which the alloy is poured, may be pierced or slotted to permit the alloy to be fed into the metal progressively as the alloy is melted.

In Fig. 6, an. arrangement is shown for gradually feeding the alloy rod 1' in to the ladle 18. For this purpose, a mechanism 19, similar to that employed for actuating the stopper of a conventional bottom tap mechanism, may be employed.

In Fig. 7, a modification of the invention is shown, in which the alloy rod 20 is progressively fed into the stream of molten metal as the latter flows down the trough 2 i, the rod being progressively melted by the flowing metal. For the purpose of thus progressively feeding the rod 20, a rack and gear mechanism may be employed. Rods of two or more different alloys may be fed in this manner, and the relative proportions of the alloying additions may be controlled as by using rods of different diameters, as shown in Fig. 4, or by feeding one of the rods at a greater rate of speed than the other.

In some cases, where the rod is susceptible of being melted at the molten metal line and thereby breakingofi', it is desirable to taper the rod, so that its diameter gradually increases in an upwardly direction. This tends to draw the heat of the molten metal away from the rod at the metal line, thus preventing or minimizing the chances of such burning oil of the rod. Instead of feeding the alloy rod into a ladle or trough, it could be fed into a reaction chamber, such as a forehearth or the crucible of a cupola.

The methods are also adaptable for incorporating two or more alloys into molten metal, by the use of a single rod. For this purpose, one of the alloys may be cast around a solid alloy rod, and in some cases, a third alloy may be cast around the other two. This is of particular value in cases where fixed percentages of alloys are to be added to a molten metal in production work. It may also be valuable where the alloy needed in a molten metal and added in rod form requires a carrier to avoid violent reactions, or, in other cases, where the carrier would speed up the reaction.

The aforesaid methods are applicable to the incorporation of various typesof alloys in molten iron and non-ferrous metals. Among such alloys are those of silicon, manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, calcium, titanium, nickel, chromium,

vanadium, copper, etc. Graphite, boron, etc. may also be added to molten iron in this manner.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the steps and other details of the methods, as described, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of incorporating an alloying ingredient in a molten metal, said method comprising stationarily supporting the alloying ingredient, in the form of a rod or stick, substantially vertically in a ladle, and causing molten metal to flow into the ladle in a stream spaced laterally a substantial distance from said rod so as to avoid impingement of the stream of metal against the rod, whereby the rod is progressively melted from its lower end upwardly as the level of the molten metal rises in the ladle, and the alloying ingredient is uniformly distributed throughout the molten metal. A

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, in which the rod is supported at a position adjacent one side of the ladle, and the molten metal is poured into the ladle at a position adjacent the opposite side of the ladle.

3. The method of incorporating a plurality of different alloying ingredients in a molten metal, said method comprising stationarily supporting the alloying ingredients, each in the form of a separate rod or stick spaced from the others, substantially vertically in a ladle, and causing molten metal to flow into the ladle in a stream spaced a substantial distance from saidrods so as to avoid impingement of the stream of metal against the rods, whereby the rods are progressively melted from their lower ends upwardly as the level of the molten metal rises in the ladle, and the alloying ingredients are uniformly distributed throughout the molten metal.

4. The method, as recited in claim 3, in which the rods are supported at positions adjacent one side of the ladle, and the molten metal is poured into the ladle at a position adjacent the opposite side of the ladle.

5. The method, as defined in claim 3, in which the different rods are of difierent diameters, whereby different amounts of the alloying ingradients are incorporated in the molten metal in direct proportion to the diameter of the rods.

HERBERT A. REECE.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record 'inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Great Britain of 1878 

1. THE METHOD OF INCORPORATING AN ALLOYNG INGREDIENT IN A MOLTEN METAL, SAID METHOD COMPRISING SATIONARILY SUPPORTING THE ALLOYING INGREDIENT, IN THE FORM OF A ROD OR STICK, SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY IN A LADLE, AND CAUSING MOLTEN METAL TO FLOW INTO THE LADLE IN A STREAM SPACED LATERALLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID ROD SO AS TO AVOID IMPINGEMENT OF THE STREAM OF METAL AGAINST THE ROD, WHERBY THE ROD IS PROGRESSIVELY MELTED FROM ITS LOWER END UPWARDLY AS THE LEVEL OF THE MOLTEN METAL RISES IN THE LADLE, AND THE ALLOYING INGREDIENT IS UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MOLTEN METAL. 